Role of Monkeys in Indian culture: Religion, myths, arts and architecture

This is based on a real life story: Once a 3-year-old boy accidentally fell into the monkey enclosure at Brookfield Zoo, the workers anticipated the worst. The Giant monkey (Gorilla) could harm the cute little boy. A Giant gorilla can kill a full-fledged man so we all are aware of the damage they could bring to that small child. Everyone was gazing impatiently as to what would happen next, but that day turned out differently. After the boy fell in, a female gorilla ran over to the boy and picked him up. This made all the employees step back in horror petrified. Then she carried him carefully over to the door, for the rescue workers to take him out. This left the employees amazed as to how beautifully the sweet mother saved the child's life. It was the monkey that had come to the rescue of the child.

Monkey the primates have a great place in Indian culture and life. 

They are  believed as the Hindu God Hanuman, the Bajrang Bali, the god of power and strength. He and his army played an important role in rescuing Sita Mata from the clutches of Ravana. For the same reason they are widely seen in Hindu religious artworks and play an important role in the Indian culture. There are many monuments with statues of monkeys artistically carved out. Temples like Durga temple and many other Monkey temples are there in India.

Like the famous three musketeers, monkeys are also famous as Mahatma Gandhi’s three wise monkeys preaching us to SEE NO EVIL, DO NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL.

Monkeys being distant biological relatives to human beings and with religious importance are an integral part of architecture, arts, myths and religion. India is and will forever be a hub of monkeys. India’s culture of monkeys will forever remain famous.